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UK reports sharp rise in money stolen via social account hijacks

Reported · Written up by our desk · Equities

Criminals who hack victims’ email and social media accounts and then impersonate them have stolen more money than a year earlier, according to official UK data shared via the City of London police Report Fraud service.

The total amount reported stolen through email and social media account hacking rose to £6.3 million in the 2025 to 2026 financial year, from £1.2 million in 2024 to 2025, the Guardian reports, citing the Report Fraud service.

In many cases, scammers hijack accounts to sell fake event tickets to friends and family, including tickets for sold out gigs, while the report notes the actual total may be higher because many victims do not report the crime, often due to embarrassment or because the individual loss seemed small.

The Guardian also referenced a prior case in which a music fan’s Instagram account was targeted, with hackers using her identity to promote Oasis gig tickets and steal £1,400 from her friends.

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